Rubber heel



Aug. 4, 1936. H. T. HUGHES 2,049,840

RUBBER HEEL Filed Jan. 11, 1955 Patented Aug. 4, 1936 PATENT orrlce RUBBER. HEEL Hugh Thomas Hughes, Cleveland, Ohio, asslgnor of fifty per cent to F. W. Goakes, Cleveland,

Ohio

Application January 11,1935, Serial No. 1,421

1 Claim.

This invention relates to heels and more particularly to cushioned heels for boots, shoes and other wear.

, It is the primary object of this invention to provide a lift or heel .of rubber or rubber composition capable of yieldingly resisting the weight of the wearer and absorbing shocks, when the heel first strikes the ground and finallyv supports the whole weight of the wearer.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of a cushioning heel of integral construction embodying an outwardly extending diaphragm-like central portion and means for yieldingly resisting shifting of said diaphragmlike portion into the heel.

A further object of this invention is to provide an integral cushioning heel with an' outwardly extending diaphragm-like central portion, connected to the rear rim or edge portion of the heel by a rounded web portion, for controlling the movement of the central portion when said portion is forcibly shifted into the heel.

These objectsand further novel features, that are characteristic of this invention are setforth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an exterior plan elevation of a heel embodying a vertically and horizontally shiftable central portion;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of the interior face of the heel shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing the heel lift 2, as usual, is compounded from rubber stock. The heel-lift 2 comprises a flat marginal portion 9 and a centrally disposed diaphragm-like tread portion I I having a preferably roughened tread face 4.

The attaching face of the marginal portion 9,

embodying a customary peripheral inclined edge 5, is provided with a central cavity or recess 6 having its edge 1 equally spaced with respect to the edge 5. The exterior face 3 of the marginal portion 9 is formed with nail holes II) for fastening the heel-lift to a shoe.

The body of the diaphragm H, has the same thicknesses the marginal portion 9 of the heel and protrudes or depends a distance equal to approximately one third of its thickness downwardly beyond the exterior face 3 ofthe mar ginal portion 9.

In walking, when the heel is brought to rest on the ground, the diaphragm first engages the ground and is then shifted upwardly toward the planes of the marginal portion 9, by the weight of the wearer. The shifting of the diaphragm w H toward the horizontal planes of the marginal portion 9 is controlled by the presence of a thin web I2, connecting the diaphragm II at its sides and rear with the marginal portion 9. The cross section of the web l2, at the sides and rear por- 15 tion of the heel varies, that is, is not of uniform thickness throughout. The narrowest cross section of the web at any .point along the web is located on an upwardly and inwardly inclined line extending from a groove [5 to a point above 20 the attaching face of the heel-lift, as indicated by the line AB of Figure 2 and lines C--D and E-D of Figure 4. This construction causes. a slight forward movement of the diaphragm as a whole when the tread face 4 contacts with the 25 ground. The forward movement of the diaphragm is possible because at the front portion of the heel, the diaphragm is connected to the rim portion by means of a web l2, having its narrowest cross section arranged on a line par- 30 allel to the vertical axis of the heel. The narrowest cross section through web I2 is indicated by the line F-G in Figure 2, which it will be noted extends vertically through the web I2, whereas the lines AB and 0-D and E-D ex- 35 tend at an angle to the line F-G and at an angle to the vertical axis of the heel-lift. This web connection permits of a slight forward movement of the diaphragm, when the diaphragm at the rear of the heel exerts a forward 40 pushing stress on the web l2, as the diaphragm is forced into the heel, due to the fact that the material of the heel has been narrowed at the web I2.

At the front portion of the heel the diaphragm 45 is cut at an angle, as at I4, to avoid accumulation of dirt and foreign matter in the recess of the web I2.

The described compression and forward movement of the diaphragm causes same to frictionally engage and cling to the walking surface until pressure on the diaphragm is relieved and it resumes its normal position, with a minimum of noise, thus imparting to the heel non-skid properties without the disadvantages generally presout in non-skid heels, embodying vacuum cups etc. Dirt or foreign matter gathered in the groove ll between the diaphragm II and the marginalportionlwillalsobereadilydislodged by the compression and forward movement of the diaphragm.

The inherent elasticity of the diaphragm II 'is preferably somewhat decreased by an integral rib portion ll, extending upwardly from the inner face of the diaphragm into the plane of the attaching face 0. This rib'portion embodies-a straight front wall ll and an inclined rear wall II and the rib portion will by reason of its extending into the plane of the attaching face I c 8 that portion of the shoe to which the heel is attached when the latter is depressed.

It will be apparent that changes may be made in the details of construction of the heel and that the described and illustrated embodiment of the invention may readily be changed within i155m scope of the invention as defined by the c said marginal portion, said web being of vary-v ing cross section at the rear end of the diaphragm and having its narrowest cross section at an angle to the vertical axis of the heel to translate part of the upward movement of the diaphragm to a forward movement thereof, and the forward end of said web having its narrowest cross section on a line extending parallel with the vertical axis of said heel for aiding the forward movement of the diaphragm when forced a into the heel.

HUGH THOMAS HUGHES. 

